The petition was set up after a row broke out regarding the location of the reinterment of the last Plantagenet King. Some people believe Richard III should be reburied in York, nearer to the remains of his son. Others want him reburied in Leicester Cathedral.

An e-petition campaigning for his reburial in York also began. It closed last month, with the number of signatures standing at 31,340.

The leader of Leicestershire County Council is pleased that the Leicester online petition to keep King Richard III in the city has overtaken the petition of York.

This is brilliant news that the Leicester e-petition has now overtaken the York figure and there are still six days left to support the petition.

It is always been my belief that Richard died at Bosworth and was then brought to Leicester to be buried so this is where he should stay. The tremendous response to the petition suggests that a lot of people feel the same way.

An online petition to keep Richard III's remains in Leicester has overtaken its opposition online petition to have the last Plantagenet King re-interred in York.

Richard III in his current state, and how he looked before he died Credit: Rui Vieira/PA Archive

The number of signatories to have signed in favour of burying the King in a tomb at Leicester Cathedral is now 31,639, compared to York's total of 31,337. Leicester's petition is still open, however York's closed last month.

Signatories of the York petition want the remains of Richard III to be buried in York Minster, in order to place him geographically closer to the remains of his son, Edward the Prince of Wales, whose remains lie in Sherriff Hutton church.